Fastener-applying device



'Feb.,2, 1943. c. B. GooDsTElN FA-STENER APPLYING DEVICE Feb. 2, 1943. c; B. GooDSTElN 2,309,763

FASTENER APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. le, 1938 2 sheets-'sheet 2 Patented Feb. 2, 1943 FASTENER-APPLYING DEVICE Charles B. Goodstein, Brooklyn, N; Y., assignor to Boston Wire Stitcher Company, Warwick, Rf. I., a corporation of Maine Application August 16, 1938", Serial No. 225,122

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in fastener-applying devices for attaching papers and other sheets,` securing tags and labels to articles of commerce and for use generally in fastening or stitching together various objects and articles.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device of the type indicated having a. coreless fastener-applying arm constituted as a magazine for holding a supply of U-shaped fasteners supported at the ends of their legs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener-applying arm of the type indicated comprising parts which are relatively movable one with respect to the other'to open the magazine in the arm to. receive a supply of fasteners.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener-applying arm of the type indicated having one of its parts formed as a magazine for holding a supply of fasteners and a driver'Y on the other relativelyV movable part for driving the fasteners from the magazine into the work. Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener-applying arm of the type indicated having relatively movable parts pivotally mounted on a common axis adjacent one end and rockl able one with respect to the other from an overlying nested relationship to an extended straight-v line relationship to open the magazine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type indicated wherein a staplepusher on one of the relatively movable parts of the fastener-applying arm is automatically retracted when the parts lare moved relatively of each other to open the arm.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type indicated which is of extremely simple construction to adapt it for economical manufacture and assembly while being positive and efficient in operation to apply the fasteners to the work.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specication which describes a preferred form of construction of the device, by way of example, as illustratedby the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a fastener-applying irnplement incorporating the novel features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is ya longitudinal view of the'implement, partly in section, showing the relationship of its parts at the completion of a fastener-applying operation; y

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the fastener-applying arm illustrated with the actuating lever or cover removed to show the construction of the magazine for holding a supply of fasteners;

- Fig, 4 is a'persp'ective view of the implement illustrating the actuating lever or cover rocked on its pivot through an arc of 180 with respect to the magazine to retract the staple-pusher and open the arm to receive a supply of fasteners;`

Fig. 5 is a. transverse sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig, 2 showing the channel-shaped form ofthe magazine and the U-shaped fasteners supported therein by the engagement of the ends of their4 legs with the bottom wall of the magazine;

- Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 2 showing the depending flanges on the staple-pusher -for retaining it in the magazine; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on line 1 1 of Fig. 2 showing the common pivot for the magazine 'and lever of the fastener-applying armiand the springs for holding the arm raised with respect to the base and the lever raised with respect to'the magazine.

In general, the present improved implement comprises a base adapted to rest on a table, desk or other support and a fastener-applying arm hinged thereto. The fastener-applying arm comprises a channel-shaped magazine for holding a supply of U-shaped fasteners supported directly on the bottom Wall thereof, and an inverted channel-shaped lever serving as a cover for the magazine. The-magazine is yieldingly held in `raised position -with respect to the base and the lever or cover is yieldingly held in raised position with respect to the magazine by a novel arrangement of springs.' The magazine and lever of the fastener-applying arm are mounted on a common pivot and the magazine is opened to receive a supply of fasteners by rocking the lever with respect vto the magazine through an arc of 180 so that the staples may be inserted through the open top of the latter. During the relative movement of the lever and magazine a staple-pusher in the magazinel is automatically retracted by means of a flexible strap connecting the pusher with the lever. The fasteners are driven from the magazine by means of a staple-driver attached to the lever and reciprocable in a throat at the forward end of the magazine.

In the drawings the present invention is illustrated as applied to a device for driving and clinching U-shaped staples, but it is to be understood that the implement may be used to apply other forms of fasteners and the stapling arm can be used independently of the base as a tacker to drive staples or other fasteners without clinching their legs. As herein illustrated the implement comprises a rectangular base 2 having a raised boss 3 adjacent its forward end with clincher-grooves 4 formed therein and upwardlyprojecting spaced ears or stanchions adjacent its rearward end. Preferably, the base 2 is constructed in one piece blanked from sheet-metal stock with the boss 3 and clincher-grooves 4 stamped therein and the stanchions 5 folded upwardly at the sides thereof. The ears or stanchions 5 are drilled or otherwise Pierced to provide alined holes 6 for mounting a pivot-pin 1.l

The stapling arm I 0 comprises a magazine portion II and a lever or cover I2 adaptedto be nested one within the other. The magazine II and lever I2 constituting the arm I 0 are both rear of the opening I1 in the bottom wall I3 of the magazine II and are yboth attached thereto by a pair of rivets 21. The spring 24 extends forwardly and downwardly to engage the base 2 at its free end; while the spring 25 is bent upwardly at an angle with its forward end engaging beneath the top wall 2l of the lever or cover I2. Preferably, the spring 24 is weaker than the spring 25 for a purpose as explained later.

In accordance with the present invention a supply of staples s may be inserted into the channel-shaped magazine II through its open top to be .wholly supported therein by the ends of their legs resting on the bottom wall I3. The crossbars of the staples s extend laterally across the interior of the magazine II which is so constructed that the opposite legs of the staples lie pivotally mounted on the laterally-,projecting ends of the pivot-pin 1 for movement relatively" of each other, or together as a unit. The maga-y zine I I is of channel-shape in cross-section, having a bottom wall I3 and upwardly-extending side walls I4 pierced with alined holes adjacent their rearward ends to receive the laterally-projecting ends of the pivot-pin 1. Thebottom wall I3 of the magazine II has a central longitudinally-extending slot I5 terminating adjacent its opposite ends and providing opposite rails or tracks I5. Adjacent the rearward vendof the bottom wall I3 the slot I5 is widenedas shown in Fig. 3 to provide an opening I1 through which the ears 5 on the base 2 are adapted to project.r

A guide-plate I8 projects upwardly from the bottom wall i3 of the magazine at its forward end and flanges I9 project inwardly from the side walls I4 in spaced relation to the guide-plate to provide a throat therebetween. the bottom wall I3 is slitted rearwardly at its forward end adjacent the opposite side walls I4 and the portion betweenthe slits is folded upwardly to form the guide-plate I8 and the projecting ends of the side walls are folded inwardlyto form the flanges I9. Lugs 28 are also struck in from the opposite side walls I4 to provide rearward guiding means for the staple-driver and also means overlying the staples at the rear of the driver to prevent them fromy riding upwardly therewith.

The lever or cover I2 is of channel-shape in inverted relation with respect to themagazine II and has a top wall 2 I, depending sidewalls 22 andra front wall 23. The lever or, cover I2 is slightly wider and longer than themagazine II so that its side walls 22 and its front wall 23 overlie the sides and front of the magazine. The

side walls 22 are piercedadjacenttheir rearward.

The arm IIJ is normally sustained in raised po-,

sition with respect to the basev 2 by meansv ofa leaf-spring 24'and the lever- I2 isnheld in raised position with respect tothe magazine II- by means of a leaf-spring 25. The springs l24 and 25 are arranged with their ,endsoverlying the bottom and top ofthe transverse `web 2li-,attire Preferably, o

closely adjacent the inside faces of its spaced walls I4. Thus the magazine has no core, heretofore considered a necessary element, whereof to simplify the construction and reduce the number of parts.

The staples s are advanced in the magazine by,

a pusher yconstructed in hollow form of folded sheet-metal. The pusher 30 is mounted on the magazine II at the rear of the staples s and has a top wall 3| and depending side Walls 32 in alinement with the crossbars and depending legs of the staples. Folded inwardly from the bottom of the side walls 32 of the pusher 30 are flanges 33, see Fig. 6, which are adapted to slide on the tracks I6 at the opposite sides of the longitudinally-extending slot I5. The pusher 30 isvretained in the magazine by means of de- .j pending runners 34 at its rearward end which project through the slot I5 and are folded outwardly to underlie the tracks I6. The pusher 30 is adapted to be advanced along the magazine II by means of a coil-spring 35. The spring 35 has one end attached to a lug 36 struck up from one of the flanges 33V ofthe pusher 30, thence it extends forwardly and is looped around a grooved stud 31 at the forward end of the magazine Il. From the stud 31 the spring 35 is stretched rearwardly and `its opposite end anchored to a lug 38 bent inwardly from the -side Wall-I4 of the magazine. As illustrated the central portion of the top wall 3| of the pusher 30 is formed with a `forwardly projecting lip 43 adapted to overlie the crossbar of the rearmost staple, seeFigs. 2 and 3,',and a cam-face 39 extending upwardly and rearwardly from the for- Ward edge of the lip and engageable by the driver when the last staple is in position to be driven or the supply of staples s is entirely exhausted.

` The pusher 30 is connected to the lever or cover I2 by means of a fiexiblestrap 40 anchored to the rearward end ofthe topwall 3I of the pusher at 4I and to the top wall 2l of the lever at 42 by means of rivets or the like.4

A staple-driver 45 is attached to the inside face of the front wall 23 of the lever I2 by means of a bolt 46; being heldin spaced parallel relationship to the front wall by means of a spacer 41. The spacer 41 is of such dimensions as to `aline the staple-driver 45 ,with thethroat 2D at the forward end of the magazine II to adaptvit to reciprocate therein as the lever I2 is rocked downwardly with respect to the magazine. One preferred form of the invention having nowvbeen described in detail its'mode of operation will be next explained.

To open the magazine II to adapt it to receive a supply of staples s the lever I2 is swung rear- 1,wardlyornthe pivot-phil vto theposition illustrated in Fig. 4. During this rocking movement of the lever I2 to open the magazine II the point of attachment of the strap 4B on the lever is moved from one side to the other of the pivotpin 1 to cause the staple-pusher 3U to be slid rearwardly in the magazine against the action of the spring 35. The implement, usually placed Withits base 2 resting upon a desk or table, will then have the open top of the channelshaped magazine II exposed. A supply of U- shaped staples s, preferably in the form of a selfcontained stick such as illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,792,235 issued to A. H. Maynard on February 10, 1931, is inserted in the magazine between its spaced side walls I4 with the ends of their legs resting upon the opposite longitudinal tracks I6, The staples s are thus wholly supported on the bottom wall I3 of the magazine II as the usual staple core or support has been eliminated. It will be noted that several of the staples of the stick at the rear of the driver 45 underlie the ends of the lugs 28 bent inwardly from the side walls I4 while the lip 43 at theforward edge of the pusher 30 overlies the rearmost staple of the stick. Thus the forward and rearward ends of the staple-stick are held from rising in the magazine II and the friction of adjacent staples pressed together by the spring 35 acting through the pusher 3U holds all of the staples .v

in alinement. It has been found that the lugs 28 and lip 43 on the pusher 30 are suicient to satisfactorily hold the staples from riding up in the magazine II during ordinary use of the implement. Thus all of the staples are held against the bottom wall I3 of the magazine II and advanced into the throat beneath the driver 45.

With the magazine II loaded with staples as explained the lever I2 is rocked back to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to cause it to overlie the sides of the magazine and close 'its open top. During the forward rocking movement of the lever I2 the strap 4G is slackened to release the staple-pusher 30 and the staple-driver 45 is entered into the throat 2U. staple-pusher 33 is automatically slid forward by the spring 35 to advance the staples s in the magazine II and position the foremost st aple in the throat 23. The implement is then ready for a staple-driving operation and the work 'w to be stapled is placed on the boss 3 at the forward end of the'base 2.

' The lever I2 is depressed and, due to the spring 24 being weaker than the spring 25, the arm I0 is rocked downwardly as a unit about the pivotpin I until the forward end of the magazine' II engages and clamps the work w against the boss 3 in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. Continued pressure on the lever I2 causes the spring 25 to yield and the driver to descend through the throat 20. Thus, the foremost staple s is sheared from the remainder of the stick and driven through the throat 2i! to cause its legs to penetrate the work and be clinched by the grooves 4 in the boss 3 on the base 2. During the driving of the foremost staple s the next adjacent staple straddles the guide-plate I8 and is supported thereon to provide -a reaction to the shearing action of the driver 45 is severing the foremost staple. Upon release of the lever I2 the springs 24 and 25 act simultaneouslyv to rock the arm IB into elevated relationship with respect to the base 2 and to rock the lever I2 to raised relationship with respect to themagazine II as illus- Cil When released, the

trated in Fig. l. The driver 45 is thus withdrawn from the throat 20 and the staples s at the rear of the driver are held from upward movement therewith by their engagement with the ends of the lugs 28. It will also be observed that the forward edges of the lugs 23 provide rearward guides for the staple-driver 45. After the driver 45 has been withdrawn from the throat 20 the Whole supply of staples s is advanced by the pusher 30 to position the next foremost staple in the throat 20. The device thus may be continuously operated by merely depressing the forward end of the lever 20 until the supply of staples s is exhausted. When the last staple of the stick is advanced into the throat 20 the lip 43 at the forward edge of the pusher 30 underlies the driver 45. During the descent of the driver 45 its bottom edge engages the cam-face 39 extending upwardly and rearwardly from the forward edge of the lip 43 of the pusher 30. The continual movement of the driver 45 as its edge rides on the inclined cam-face 39 on the pusher 30 acts to force the pusher rearwardly in the magazine I I against the action of the spring 35.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides an extremely simple and compact fastener-applying implement to adaptit for economical manufacture and assembly. It will be observed further that the stapling arm is of novel construction having a coreless magazine and an actuating lever which are relatively movable one with respect to the other to open the magazine to receive a supply of fasteners. It will be observed also that the present novel form of construction provides for automatically retracting the pusher during the relative movement of the relatively movable parts of the stapling arm so that the magazine may be loaded with facility.

While there is herein illustrated and described one preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts of the device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:-

1. In a device of the type indicated, a channel-shaped magazine having an open side extending longitudinally thereof and parallel spaced-apart vertical flanges at one end forming a throat therebetween, said magazine being adapted to hold a supply of staples extending thereacross and supported therein by the engagement of the ends of their legs with the bottom wall thereof, a cover pivotally mounted on the magazine to overlie the open side of the latter, and staple-driving means carried by the cover and movable relatively of the magazine for driving the staples through the throat.

2. In a device of the type indicated, a magazine having a 'bottom wall with one end folded upwardly andside Walls with their ends folded inwardly in spaced relation to the folded endl of the bottom Wall to form a throat therebetween, said magazine being adapted to hold a supply of staples extending across the magazine and supported therein by the engagement of the ends of their legs with the bottom wall thereof, and staple-driving means movable relatively of the magazine for driving the staples through the throat.

3. In a device of the type indicated, a channel-shaped magazine having a throat at one end through which the staples are driven and a lonmovable relatively of the magazine for driving the staples through the throat 4. In a device of the type indicated, aa onepiece channel-shapedmagazine of a width to, adapt it to holdf a supply of staples extending thereacross vvith` their legs engaging. its opposite sides, said staples being supported in the magazine. b v the direct engagement of the ends of their legs with the bottom Wall thereof, a pusher in the magazine, means for sliding the pusherV along the magazine, staple-driving means movable relatively of the magazine for driving. the staples as they are advanced by the pusher, and means on the sides ofthe magazine at the rear of the staple-driving means and on theforward edge of the pusher for overlying theforward and rearward staplesin the magazines respectively.

5. In a device of the type indicated, a base, a stapling arm comprising a. one-piece channelshaped magazine pivotally mountedon the base for movement Ytoward and away from the latter, said magazine having an open. side extending longitudinally thereof throughout a substantial portion of its length, and a pivoted cover closing theopen side ofthe magazine and rockable on its pivot to open the magazine to adapt staples to be supplied through its open side, said staples being supported. in the magazine by the direct engagement ofY the' ends of their legs with .the bottom Wall of the magazine.

6. In a device of the type indicated,` a base having clincher-grooves at one end and apivot at its opposite end, a chanel-shaped magazine rockably mounted on the pivot on the base, the bottom Wall of said magazine having'a central slot providing opposite tracks for supporting a supply of staples, a pusher slidable on the magazine and having retaining. flanges extending through the slot in the bottom wall and engage ing the under side of the stapletracks,.a channel-shaped cover rockably mounted on the Lpivot on the base at one end and having a driver. at its opposite end for driving staples from the magazine into engagement with the clinohergrooves on the base, said cover being rockable away from the magazine to open the latter to receive a supply of staples, and alexible strap connecting the cover and pusher for'retracting the latter when the cover is moved with respect to the magazine to4 open the latter.

7. In a device of the type indicated, a base, a magazine pivotally mounted onV the base for movement toward and away from the latter and having a bottom wall, a pivotally mounted cover overlying the magazine, and a pair of springs having one of their ends connected lto the bottom wall of the magazine and theirfree ends engageable with the base and the cover respective-- ly to hold the magazine raised with-respect to the base and the cover raised with respect to the magazine.

8. In a device of the type indicated, a base having clinching means adjacent one end and.

of thev openinga cover overlying, themagazinef' a `pivot-pin `extending transversely through the cover, magazine and ears on the base, and afpair of springshavingone of their ends fastened to the transverse web on the magazine, the free ends lof the springs being engageable with the base: and cover respectively to hold the magazine,` raised with respectto the base and the cover raised. with respect to the magazine.

9;.In1a device of the type indicated, a magazine-arm forholding a supply of staples, said magazine-arm having-'a bottom wall with one endlfolded upwardly and side Walls with their ends folded inwardly-in parallel spaced relation to thefolded end of the bottom wall to form a throat-therebetween, and staple-driving means movable relatively of the magazine for driving the staples through the throat.

10. In a deviceof the type indicated, a magazine having an opening in its side extending longitudinally thereoff through which staples may besupplied thereto, a lever movable relatively of themagazine for closing the opening therein, and aldriver operated by the lever, said lever being movable toward the magazine to drive staples therefrom and away from the magazine toopen the latter to receive a supply of staples through the opening in its side,

11. In a-device of the type indicated, a base, a magazine having an opening in its top extending longitudinally thereof through which staples may be supplied thereto, a lever for closing the opening in the top of the magazine, a driver operated by the lever, and a pivot-pin extending through the base, magazine and lever toconnect them forrelative movement, said magazine being rockableA on the pivot-pin with respect to thebase and said lever being rockable on the pivot-pin toward the magazine to drive the staples and away from the magazine to open the ylatter to receive a supplyof staples through the opening in its top.

121. Ina device of the type indicated, a magazine for staples having an` opening in its top extending longitudinally thereof through which staples may befsupplied `thereto and a throat through which' the-fasteners are driven therefrom, a'pusher inthe magazine for advancing the staplesto the throat, a lever movable-relativelyvv to the'magazine for closing the openingtherein, and a driver mounted on the lever-and adapted to reciprocate in the throat of the magazine to drive staples therefrom upon relative movement of the lever toward the magazine,` said leverbeing movable away from the magal zine to open the latter toreceive a supply of staples through` the opening in its. top.

13.' In a device ofthe type indicated, a base having clinching means thereon, a magazine for staples having an opening in its top extending longitudinallythereof and a throat through whichthe staples are driven, a pusher in the magazine for advancing the staples to the throat, alever overlying the opening in the topof the magazine, a driver mounted on the lever and adapted to reciprocate in the throat in the magazine,` and apivot-pin Yextending through the base, magazine Vand-lever to `pivotally connect them-for relative movement, said magazine being rockable on the -pivot-pin with respect to the base and `said lever beingrockable on the pivotpin toward the magazine to drive staples through' the throat and rockable awayfrom the magalzine-to vopen the latter to .receive a supply of staplesthroughwthe opening in vits top.;

14. In a device of the type indicated, a magazine having a chamber for holding a supply of staples, said magazine having a throat at one end through which the staples are driven and a longitudinally-extending slot at the bottom of the chamber, a pusher in the magazine for advancing the staples to the throat, said pusher having anges extending through the slot in the magazine and underlying the latter to retain it therein, and staple-applying means movable relatively of the magazine for driving the staples 5 through the throat.

CHARLES B. GOODSTEIN. 

